Murray, Djokovic battle injury concerns to make Wimbledon draw

Former champions Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic have overcome injury concerns to participate in the Wimbledon draw.

Murray, the 2013 and 2016 champion, was expected to miss his farewell appearance at the All England Club after a back operation last weekend. Djokovic, a seven-time champion, also underwent surgery earlier this month for a knee injury sustained at the French Open.

On Friday, the two 37-year-olds, long-time rivals, were included in the draw for the tournament starting Monday.

Murray will play against 38th-ranked Tomas Machac of the Czech Republic, who has defeated him twice this year. Djokovic, seeded two, will face 123rd-ranked Vit Kopriv, also of the Czech Republic, making his Wimbledon debut.

Murray, ranked 115th, had surgery for a spinal cyst. He experienced weakness and loss of coordination in his right leg while playing at Queen's, leading to his withdrawal from the tournament. He and his brother Jamie were awarded the final wildcard for the Wimbledon men's doubles. Murray plans to end his career at the Paris Olympics next month.

Machac defeated Murray in Marseille and Miami this year and stunned Djokovic in the semi-finals in Geneva before the French Open. Djokovic will compete at Wimbledon despite fitness concerns.

The Serbian withdrew from his French Open quarter-final against Casper Ruud due to a torn medial meniscus in his right knee. He said he would only play at Wimbledon if fit enough to "fight for the title."

"I didn't come here to play a few rounds," he told the BBC. "If I know I can play close to my maximum or at maximum, then I'll play. If not, then I'll give somebody else a chance to play. I really will only play if I know I am in a state which is good enough to go far in the tournament and fight for the title, so that's the condition."

Djokovic, with 24 Grand Slam titles, has reached the Wimbledon final for the past five years, losing last year to Carlos Alcaraz. He aims to win an Olympic gold medal at the Paris Games starting July 26.

Jannik Sinner, the Australian Open champion, is top seed for Wimbledon and will start against Germany’s Yannick Hanfmann. Sinner could face Italian compatriot and 2021 runner-up Matteo Berrettini in the second round. Alcaraz, seeded three, is in the same half of the draw as Sinner and will play 262nd-ranked Mark Lajal of Estonia on Monday.

In the women's draw, world number one Iga Swiatek, fresh from her fourth French Open title, faces 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin. Swiatek, who has never advanced past the Wimbledon quarter-finals, has Angelique Kerber and Jelena Ostapenko in her section. Swiatek, on a 19-match win streak, may meet defending champion Marketa Vondrousova in the quarter-finals.

US Open champion Coco Gauff, the second seed, will play compatriot Caroline Dolehide. Four-time major winner Naomi Osaka, facing Diane Parry, is back at Wimbledon for the first time since 2019.

Third seed Aryna Sabalenka, a two-time semi-finalist, starts against Emina Bektas of the United States. She may face Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva, who defeated her in the French Open quarter-finals this year, in the last 16.

(With AFP inputs)